7 1/2 minutes long, this report provides more information on the August 3rd protest and counterprotest at the Montpelier Statehouse than was provided by the 30-second NPR "soundbite" version. Features a short interview with Fred Phelps, Jr.
Producer: Kevin Colosa Uploaded by: Kevin Colosa
On Tuesday morning, August 3, 1999, the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas (notorious for their website "www.godhatesfags.com" and their controversial methodology, which includes picketing the funerals of AIDS victims and setting up a perpetual "gospel memorial" to Matthew Shepard on their website, in which Shepard's head is surrounded by flames and a counter blithely announces the number of days Shepard has been in Hell) held a demonstration outside the Statehouse in Montpelier, Vermont. One of the main reasons for the group's visit was the fact that Vermont's Supreme Court is now considering whether or not same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.
Recorded at the scene between 7:30 and 9 a.m., this 7 1/2 minute independently produced news segment features sound clips and interviews with those present, including Fred Phelps, Jr. (son of Reverend Fred Phelps, the Westboro church's patriarch), and a friend of the counterprotester who was arrested on the scene. Also included is a sound clip of the actual arrest.
National Public Radio gave approximately 30 seconds to this story on All Things Considered Tuesday evening. The report available for download here in both RealAudio and .mp3 format offers the listener a broader view of the event.
PLEASE NOTE: I am an independent news correspondent, not affiliated with NPR or any other network or news organization. I'm just a citizen with a tape recorder, a computer, and a brain, with a desire to present a more complete version of events than our soundbite-happy media tends to feed us more and more frequently these days. The news piece presented here tries as much as possible to remain objective and give an accurate account of events. Please contact me by email if you have any questions or comments. Thanks.
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